In the run up to the Liverpool marathon I’d spoken to a few runners who had done it last year and been given the impression it was a hilly course. I found that hard to believe. So now I’ve done the course here’s my view for anyone who is interested.
The course started in the pretty Birkenhead Park and made its way to the coast at the top end of the Wirral. We ran past the interesting Fort Perch at the tip of the Wirral, I never knew it was there, before turning back towards the Birkenhead Tunnel keeping to the shore line. I enjoyed some great views of the Liverpool skyline as I looked across the River Mersey. This first half of the course was mainly fairly flat.
At mile 12 we came to the entrance of the Birkenhead Tunnel, Garmins became useless and we had a gradual 1 mile decent under the Mersey. Half way through the tunnel we reached the half marathon point and then began a gradual 1 mile climb out of the tunnel. Basically the tunnel is a “V” shape, 1 mile down and 1 mile up. It’s fun running in a tunnel, strangely warm, calm and quiet. I could hear the padding of the many runner’s footsteps.
As we neared the exit of the tunnel I could hear a wonderful rhythmic drumming sound echoing in front of me. The closer to the exit I got, the louder it became. As I reached the mouth of the tunnel I was presented with a large band of drummers, known as the Batala Drum Band, booming out a fantastic rhythm and an even larger crowd of several hundred spectators noisily cheering on us runners.
The next 3 miles of the course were an out, back affair to the north of the city centre and then at mile 17, definitely a hill, taking us south of the centre and towards Sefton Park. There were certainly a few undulations in this section of the course but I thoroughly enjoyed running round the very picturesque Sefton Park, with gorgeous autumn colour in the leaves of the trees lining the road ways. We then made our way back to the city’s waterfront and back to the hill at 17 miles, this time it was the 25 mile point and the hill was now in the runners favour and gave the opportunity for fast finish through miles 25 & 26. There was a great loud reception building up for us as the crowd thickened towards the grand finish at the side of the famous Liver Building.
Not the fastest course but not at all bad, I certainly wouldn’t call it hilly, probably undulating. A really good atmosphere and would do it again. I finished in 3 hours 24 minutes and 26 seconds. Good weather conditions, calm, cool with plenty of autumn sunshine. After doing Chester fast last week, I decided to take the first few miles easy and did a negative split by 5 minutes.
It was very enjoyable meeting up with my other marathon friends especially Gary, Sandra, Sally, Matt & Kevin at the finish.
